Cholesterol - A Risk Factor in Heart Disease

Cholesterol - A Risk Factor in Heart Disease

Cholesterol is essential to life and is used by every single cell in the human body. Some people are genetically predisposed to a high cholesterol level but diet and lifestyle changes can help to lower cholesterol naturally. Cholesterol is a white flaky substance ,different from other waxy substances. Cholesterol is produced by the liver and is found in bile which helps to digest fatty foods in the intestine. Cholesterol is found in human blood and brain tissue. It is also found in arteries that has plaque buildup. Significant changes occur in the arterial walls during the process of plaque buildup. The actual hardening is due to the formation of bone tissue in the arterial wall. This hardening is referred to as atherosclerosis or the hardening of the arteries. Fat and cholesterol work their way into the artery wall to produce the dreaded build up of plaque. Obviously the main role of cholesterol in the body is not the production of a heart attack. Cholesterol is produced by the liver for several vital purposes.

Cholesterol serves various important functions in the body. It is a vital component of the microscopic wall or membrane that surrounds each cell, providing the cell with support and protection. Cholesterol is also required for the formation of Vitamin D and for the hormone testosterone estrogen, progesterone and cortisol. In the brain and spinal cord, cholesterol serves as part of the insulation that covers your nerve cells and keeps your nerve signals going to the right locations. It also forms a key role in the formation of bile. Without cholesterol we would not be able to digest the fats found in many of the foods we eat. When the cholesterol level in the blood rises because of diet , the production of cholesterol by the liver is reduced in an attempt to keep the level of cholesterol in the blood constant.

Cholesterol comes from two sources, your diet and the cholesterol manufactures on its own. The vast majority of cholesterol is supposed to be made in the body. However, in our modern "fat and calorie overload" we consume far more than our bodies can use. To make matters worse the high calorie and fat content in our diets can stimulate excess cholesterol production making it harder for cholesterol to be removed from the blood stream.

Cholesterol does not travel around the blood stream by itself, It is generally packaged with fats called triglycerides. Triglycerides are the body's preferred form of energy storage. The only reason you can survive for long periods without food is because of your body's triglycerides stores. Triglycerides make up about 95% of the fats in the foods you eat, and the vast majority of the fat in your body. Triglycerides are constructed from fatty acids. When a triglyceride is needed for energy it is broken down in the fat cell into three fatty acids. Your body can make some fatty acids, however, there are two fatty acids which must come from the diet, and these are called "essential fatty acids"namely linolenic and linoleic acid. So you do need to eat a small amount of dietary fat each day, about 5 to 10 percent of your total calories.

Carefully count the fat calories you consume as excess cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause major damage to your cardiovascular system resulting in various forms of heart disease and even death. Your body is an amazing biological machine, but it can only tolerate so much abuse, you need to be working with your body by reducing the amount of fat, calorie and cholesterol you consume.

CardiOmega 3 Seal Oil is excellent for bringing down cholesterol levels..

CardiOmega 3 Seal Oil is excellent for bringing down cholesterol levels. CardiOmega 3 Seal oil is by far superior to other omega 3 oils from fish oil and flaxseed oil. It contains DPA, DHA and EPA. Omega 3 Fatty Acids can reduce the risk of heart attack by up to 70%! It keeps the artery walls soft and plaque free, smoother and more elastic. Harp Seal oil is 100% free of chemicals and toxins such as mercury. It is important to know that the oil is a residual product of a chartered harp seal oil hunt in Newfoundland that is humane and does not affect the seal population. In fact the hunt is chartered for population control and is done in a proper manner.

Omega 3 seal oil relieves arthritis, combats circulatory problems associated with diabetes, reduces cholesterol, softens arteries to prevent heart problems, reduces blood pressure, lowers serum triglyceride levels, improves skin, improves memory and helps with rheumatoid arthritis.

More about → Cholesterol - A Risk Factor in Heart Disease

Check Your Cholesterol Level Regularly

Check Your Cholesterol Level

If your level of cholesterol is high, lowering is important business. Because when your body has too much cholesterol, it builds up in the walls of your arteries and can in time cause severe medical problems like heart attacks. With a good nutrition and some exercise you have the key to lowering your cholesterol. In that way you can lower cholesterol levels in your body without drugs. You will be amazed at how much you can actually accomplish without drugs but you have to make an effort.

Also the food you eat can give you a high cholesterol level, but there are a lot that can actually help to lower your LDL cholesterol levels and increase your HDL cholesterol, also known as the good cholesterol. In a several studies it has been shown that participants who ate four or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day had significantly lower levels of LDL cholesterol than those who ate fewer servings.

In another study it was evident that men who ate the oat bran cookies reduced their LDL, which is the so-called bad cholesterol, to levels 23 to 26 percent lower. Now more researchers also are discovering the vital necessity of high fiber foods and their effectiveness in controlling high cholesterol levels. In the category of cholesterol containing foods, there are parts that are cholesterol high foods and some that contain lesser amounts of cholesterol.

For persons with high levels of cholesterol it is important to learn which foods are good and bad. You should actually load up on the best foods for human health and fitness that are choked full of the superior nutrition, little fat, no cholesterol, and fewer calories for natural and easy weight loss. If you like butter and are trying to lose weight or lower the cholesterol, the best products to get a hint of butter taste are the spray oils or the butter buds. The fact that cholesterol is in maximum amounts in animal products should be taken into consideration with every meat serving. You can also eat meat without the skin as this is also a great way to go as it reduces the cholesterol consumption.

To lower the cholesterol significantly you should eat grapes and their products. There are a lot of other products to use, for example free range eggs tend to be lower in cholesterol and higher in some vitamins than commercially produced eggs. The reason should be a better quality of the feed for the free range hens. Apples are rich in both pectin and fiber and have powerful antioxidants and they also help to lower bad cholesterol. At the same time apples help raising the good kind. The pectin in apples helps draw cholesterol out of the system. You can also learn more about beans and legumes as they contain soluble fiber which helps to increase your HDL cholesterol and reduce your LDL cholesterol. The intake of vitamin E is also important.

Persons who are already at risk for coronary heart disease and heart attack, physicians recommend the reduction in the intake of cholesterol. The blood cholesterol is a major factor in the risk of suffering from heart disease. A high level can lead to a buildup of cholesterol in arteries, which is bad as it narrows/clogs them giving a greater chance of heart disease. Age is a factor and checking the level of cholesterol become more and more important. The annual check up will give you an answer to these questions.

More about → Check Your Cholesterol Level Regularly

Can Your Cholesterol Get Too "Low" ?

Can Your Cholesterol Get Too "Low"?

In the blitzkrieg on fat by the media, cholesterol has been held hostage and charged with clogging human circulatory system, restricting blood flow to vital organs, and causing heart and brain problems. But with the war crime tribunals' verdict on the obesity war, the cholesterol stands vindicated and its rightful place in the dietary kingdom restored.

All along, we are being told ---fat is the root of all evil. Lower your fat, lower your cholesterol. But how low can cholesterol getall Can it get "too low"?

In general, you want more of high density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good cholesterol", and less of low density lipoprotein (LDL), "the bad cholesterol". Your total cholesterol level should not be not less than 160 - 180 mg/dL and your HDL cholesterol level should be not below 100 mg/dL. A low total cholesterol reading is not necessarily good, because it can hide a low level of HDL. Similarly, having a high total cholesterol reading may not be bad; in fact it may be good if it's the HDL component that is high. The LDL sticks to artery walls and builds up the plaque, but HDL removes excess cholesterol from the plaques, slows their growth and protects us from heart attack. Similarly, a low HDL cholesterol level too may raise stroke risk, whereas a high HDL level acts as a protective shield.

Trust our body to know what is good for it. Ever wondered why the body itself produces most of the required cholesterol? Cholesterol is essential to the body. Breast milk has high levels of cholesterol and the breast-fed babies learn to metabolize cholesterol better, with the result their blood cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary diseases as adults are lower than the formula-fed babies.

Cholesterol plays an important role in cell membrane structure. About 10 to 20% of the brain is composed of cholesterol. Essential substances like the sex hormones and vitamin D are also made of cholesterol. Cholesterol is the precursor to bile acids, which are needed to digest and absorb long-chain fatty acids. Hence low cholesterol is bad for the liver.

A growing body of evidence indicates that very low cholesterol can be dangerous, just as high cholesterol is hazardous to health. Low cholesterol levels can cause depression, anxiety, violent behavior or suicide, because of the reduced levels of serotonin in the brain. Researchers suggest, though not very conclusively, that very low cholesterol levels may be associated with an increased risk of cancer. Atromid-S, the first drug approved for the lowering of cholesterol,was withdrawn from the market in 2000 as it was found to increase the incidence of gallstones, cancer, liver disease, and pancreatitis.

More about → Can Your Cholesterol Get Too "Low" ?

Causes of High Cholesterol

Causes of High Cholesterol

Over one hundred million Americans have high cholesterol. Derived from the Greek word "chole" for bile, this thick substance is produced in the liver and is very important to the good health and functioning of the human body. Cholesterol has numerous functions in the body and it is found in the outer layer of every human cell. Among its functions include the following; production of bile, aids in cell membrane growth and production of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. Cholesterol also helps to metabolize fat soluble vitamins in the body.

We are all focused on hearing about how dangerous cholesterol is but in fact it also serves a very vital purpose to the body. However there is both "good" and "bad" cholesterol and this is where it is important to know the difference. How we produce cholesterol: When we eat animal proteins we produce cholesterol. Fruits, vegetables and grains cannot produce cholesterol and they do not contain any. When meat, eggs and dairy products are consumed they enable the body to make cholesterol. It is a question of eating these foods in moderation as too much saturated fat can lead to elevated cholesterol levels which can be unhealthy and dangerous.

Type Of Cholesterol 

Types of cholesterol: Cholesterol can be one of three types; HDL, LDL or Triglycerides. Lipoproteins carry cholesterol throughout the bloodstream. LDL cholesterol is what is known as the "bad cholesterol". This is the cholesterol that is carried from the liver to the body's cells. If too much is carried into the body, you will develop excess cholesterol. Excess can lead to many health complications including arterial plaque and heart disease. The "good" cholesterol is known as HDL. It works in an opposite way to LDL because it actually carries the cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver. The liver then will discard this cholesterol out of the body. HDL can help prevent heart disease. Most fat found in the body is in the form of triglycerides. They are made from the foods that we eat. Normal Cholesterol Levels: There are cholesterol guidelines of what is considered normal and what is considered high. Normal is less than 200mg/dL and high is anything 240mg/dL or higher.

What high cholesterol can do to your body: High cholesterol can have many deleterious effects on your body and your health. Heart disease is one of the main potential consequences. The arteries can become blocked which reduces blood and oxygen flow to the heart. You will also increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Symptoms of high cholesterol: If you haven't gone to see a doctor and get blood work yet you may notice various symptoms if you do have high cholesterol. These may include some of the following; pain in your legs when walking or exercising because the arteries have narrowed and yellow patches on your skin, particularly around the eye area. These patches are actually cholesterol deposits and are a tell tale symptom that you have high cholesterol levels.

Causes of High Cholesterol: There are several known reasons for developing high cholesterol. It should be noted however, that sometimes there is a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol levels. Poor nutrition: Eating large quantities of cholesterol laden foods such as meat and dairy can increase your cholesterol. Most dangerous are foods that are high in saturated fats. Red meat, sausage and sugary baked goods all have high saturated fat levels. Eat fresh whole foods in the form of lean proteins, fresh vegetables and whole grains and a little bit of fruit.

Obesity: Excess weight can also increase bad cholesterol levels. Try to maintain a weight that is appropriate for your height and gender. You can refer to a body mass index scale, also known as a "bmi". This chart will tell you the weight range you should be in. Smoking: Smoking of course is an extremely unhealthy habit to have. And it can raise your cholesterol levels as well. Speak to your medical provider who can help create a program for you to follow to quick this habit. Age: Cholesterol levels increase naturally with age. Usually at the age of 50, a man's cholesterol levels will taper off naturally. Women's cholesterol levels will naturally begin to rise after they have reached menopause. This does not take into account of course, for all of the various lifestyle and medical factors that can raise your cholesterol levels as well.

Lack of exercise: People who do not exercise will more likely have higher cholesterol than people who incorporate exercise into their lifestyle. Additionally sedentary people will tend to have lower amounts of the good cholesterol, HDL, as well. Part of a healthy lifestyle incorporates a regular exercise program. Find exercise that you enjoy doing and try to commit to exercising three to five times weekly for a minimum of 30 minutes. Medical Conditions: There are certain medical conditions that tend to create higher cholesterol in the body. These include diseases such as diabetes, kidney and liver disease.

Diagnosis: Under the care of your medical provider, a blood test is performed which will check LDL, HDL and blood triglyceride levels. Medication: There are various medications that your physician may prescribe for you if you suffer from high cholesterol. Statins: this drug lowers cholesterol by blocking liver enzymes that produce it. There are various side effects associated with statins and include headaches and constipation but not everyone will experience these effects. Niacin: Niacin will reduce both HDL and LDL levels and it is a B vitamin. Your doctor may prescribe a particular dosage for you. You may experience flushing and tingling side effects. Aspirin: Aspirin is a common medication doctor's recommend taking for high cholesterol levels. If you have high blood pressure along with high cholesterol your doctor may prescribe other drugs such as beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. Your doctor will know what exactly is appropriate for you depending on your blood work, age and health condition.

You can reduce your cholesterol levels in various ways. By looking at the various causes of high cholesterol you can begin to assess which areas of your life you may change to become a healthier person. Of course, always consult with your medical provider before undergoing any type of lifestyle, nutritional or exercise program, particularly if you are elderly or suffering from any disease or ailment.

More about → Causes of High Cholesterol

Causes of High Blood Pressure

Causes of High Blood Pressure

Does anyone know what really causes high blood pressureall  It is quite difficult to distinguish whether symptoms stem from high blood pressure or are just mere coincidences.  Things are less simple for less obviously absurd cases.

Studies show many different kinds of secondary high blood pressure where the primary causes may be quite different from the continuing causes.  An example is a rare disease known as coarctation of the aorta, a disease of the large artery carrying blood out of the heart.  In this condition, the aorta is tightly constricted a few inches beyond its origin and then expands to its normal diameter.  Undoubtedly, blood pressure must rise above the constriction and fall below it, just as it does when one compresses a hosepipe.  Yet, if this constriction is removed surgically and the normal continuity of the aorta is restored, blood pressure usually takes several years to fall to normal level.  The initial case of high blood pressure is the constriction, but the continuing cause is probably complex changes in circulating hormones, which function to maintain blood flow through the kidneys despite the obstruction, which may persist for a long time even after the obstruction, has gone.

Aside from the genetic pathogenesis of the disease, there is profound evidence that there are several factors which are true and independent causes of high blood pressure.  These factors are obesity, high sodium intake, low potassium intake and a high alcohol intake.  The effect they have varies in most cases depending on heredity; they have a much greater effect on people whose families have an increased prevalence of high blood pressure than on people form families with mostly low blood pressure.  This will happen sooner in young people and later in middle-aged and elderly people.  Evidence of these causes is consistent and convincing.  However, that does not eliminate the possibility of other causes present in some people, of which the most obvious and important are psychical, psychological and social stresses.

The theory that physical and psychological stress is the root cause of most high blood pressure was very popular in the 1960s and 1970s, but research since then has proved it not to be true.  There may be a minority of people with high blood pressure, for whom it is the main cause, but it fails to explain most cases.  Extensive studies have looked for an association between the so-called type A personality (people who are described as ambitious, aggressive and time-conserved) and high blood pressure, but none can be found.  Instead, it was found that very nervous people have normal or even low blood pressure but many easygoing people have dangerously high blood pressures.  On the other hand, there is a tendency for some people with depression to have raised blood pressures, falling when depression ends, either simultaneously or after treatment for depression.  Obviously, there are many other good reasons for avoiding social and psychological stresses, regardless of any ill effects on blood pressure.  Even if they are not directly causing high blood pressure, they inevitably affect your capacity to cope with treatment and you should make sure that your physician is aware of them.

More about → Causes of High Blood Pressure